Work, work, work - it works!

Hello all! (It's really hard to always have clever greetings.)

How is everyone on this lovely day? I hope everyone is doing well. I'm a bit tired to tell the truth. I could really use a nice nap. We haven't really done much today because I'm horribly broke ($1.70 until either tomorrow or Wednesday), but I have learned a wonderful lesson that has to do with tithing and fast offerings. Since I don't receive an income, I can't pay tithing, but from our support money we are expected to pay generous fast offerings. I usually always offer a very generous fast offering and I usually have a good amount of money left over at the end of a support payment cycle (once every 2 weeks). However, this month, for reasons that I'm not really sure about, I didn't fast nor pay a fast offering, and I now am completely broke. It's been a testimony building time for me, and I can now definitely see the blessings of paying a generous fast offering or a full tithe, if such is possible. Also, before I paid generous fast offerings I used to struggle with managing my money as well, but when I started giving more, I seemed to have more. There has never been an increase in my support payments, but I've always had more than enough. So learn from my experiences and pay a full tithe and generous fast offerings! The Lord will be obligated to bless you (see Malachi 3:8, 10 and 3 Nephi 24:8, 10).

This week we were privileged to be part of three different baptisms. Romina was able to be baptized, and when Bishop Borja was giving the welcome, he shared a little part of his baptismal interview with Romina. When he asked Romnia why she wanted to be baptized, she said, "I want to be baptized because I love Jesus." It was just such a simple and touching declaration. She is completely fulfilling the great commandment that Jesus left with us: "And thou shalt ^alove the Lord thy God with all thy ^bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy ^cstrength: this is the first commandment" (Holy Bible, Mark 12:30). If only we could all follow Romina's example and keep the commandments because we love the Lord with all our hearts. How wonderful that simple statement is! She is such a special little girl.

We were also able to witness another 8-year-old child, Eduardo, be baptized by his father. That was also a sweet experience. Also, William Gómez, one of our investigators, was able to be baptized as well. We're still trying to be able to pass by the rest of his family, but there are some problems there. Prayers directed his way would be welcome.

I found a cure to worrying about the future! I was studying Preach My Gospel when I found that cure. It's a quote from President Ezra Taft Benson that I really liked, and I'll even highlight the part that really caught my attention.

“I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work!If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”

I have really found that to be very true this week. I have tried my best to focus on the work and just work, and it works!! It's incredible, but I haven't hardly worried about "the future" at all this week. Also, I would like to thank those of you whom decided to write to me and give me some advice. Of the advice that I received, the most common was 1) trust in God and 2) take things one bite at a time. I'm really trying to have more faith and also just slow down and focus on right now. It's really hard sometimes. I like to do things right now, and delaying them sometimes bugs me, but I'm learning. I know that Heavenly Father will provide me with what I need, especially when I am diligent and obedient. Right now I'll try to just focus on where my feet are, and later I'll figure out what I'll do, but not till I get to that point.

Jeffrey, in your down time, along with your scripture study you should be studying Preach My Gospel. If you can finish it before your mission, you'll be a lot more prepared and a better teacher than I ever was.

This week was also a bit odd in the rudeness factor. Two different people yelled at us that we're gay and today a guy greeted us on the bus with a very long and outstretched middle finger. It was just odd because I don't remember ever receiving opposition like that. It doesn't bother me at all because 1) I know that I'm not gay and neither is Elder Tucket and 2) I just choose to not let it bother me. Those occurances were rather odd though. (Jeffrey, prepare yourself.)

I had a very sweet experience yesterday during Sacrament Meeting. As I was partaking of the sacrament, I felt incredibly happy. It was like happiness was just building up in my chest and I could have burst out in shouts of praises and joy (I didn't though...you know, trying to be reverent and all...). I was just so happy! That's the second week in a row that that has happened, and I know that it's because I was worthily partaking of the sacrament. Such is the feeling when one is subject to the influence of the Holy Ghost. It's wonderful.

Well, I believe that's all for right this very moment. I love you all very much and hope that your week is fantabulous and full of spiritual experiences. I know that if you look for them, you will find them. I love you!

Love,
Elder Andrew Schomburg

Unexpected Feelings

Hello my friendly peoples!!

This day finds me well. Nothing to complain about at all, so that is very good. I've had a pretty tranquilo week, so that's good as well. I'm really trying to be diligent. Really, really trying. I've found that going running in the mornings helps me to get up and going and start the day off right, so that's handy. That means that I have to wake up 30 minutes early (my companion as well), but it's worth it to fight the non-diligent bug (aka Satan). If anyone else has other tips for me, they would be very welcome, especially from return missionaries.

We've been teaching a sweet little 8 year-old girl named Romina with her grandpa for awhile. Her grandpa's a member and she lives with him (her parents died when she was 1 1/2 years old). She is pilísimas (really, really intelligent). She has questions that many of my adult investigators have never had, and she understands all of the concepts that we teach her very well. She's such a sweet little girl too. I really love her a lot. She get baptized this Thursday, and we're very excited about that.

We've also been teaching a gentleman named William. He is getting baptized this Saturday. He always has a ton of questions, many of which come from left field, but that's okay. We've been able to satisfactorily answer all of his questions so far, and the doubts that remained have gone away as he has read the Book of Mormon. It has been wonderful to see his conversion, and I am excited to see him take the step of baptism.

Jeffrey, I give you permission to use my suitcases. They won't be brand new, but they are still in good condition and have served me well in my mission. Hopefully they'll serve you equally well. Also, you are a lucky, lucky duck. A bicycle will be so wonderful. Do you get to drive as well? That'd be chevere as well.

So, I'm encountering feelings that I did not expect to encounter about returning home: fear and anxiety. What am I going to do? I really want to follow the prophet's counsel and get married as soon as possible, but I don't really have much in the way of job offerings until summer, and I want to (hopefully) get married before going back to BYU. Then there's the issue of student loans that I took out, and how I would continue providing for that family while in school. Also, do I find a job in Colorado and then move to Provo when school time rolls around, or do I get a job de una there in Provo and live there for an indefinite time? I just don't know, and not knowing really scares me. I know that I need to just trust that Heavenly Father will bless me, especially with my faithful service, but it's still a scary prospect. Also, how do I pay for university? I don't want to get any more into debt, but my grades are nowhere near good enough for scholarships. I have kind of thought about Army ROTC, but I really want to dedicate as much time to my family as possible, and I also kind of want to do Track again, but I'm now about as out of shape as I've ever been...so many doubts and fears. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? I would love if someone could write me some good advice about what to do. I know that praying and fasting will be number one on the list, but is there anything else? Thank you in advance for your help.

Well, I don't have too much more to say. I love you all very much and am so grateful for all of your support. I hope all of you are doing well. Keep on keeping on!

Love,
Elder Andrew Schomburg

P.S. If some desire, they can write directly to andrew.schomburg@myldsmail.net to give me advice. I won't be responding to anybody that isn't family, and even to family I will most likely respond via snail mail, but I will do my best to respond. Thank you!

Trunky Paper?

Hello my fantastic friends and family and future friends/family! (I believe that covers everyone :D)

This week finds me happy, healthy, and well in general. Nothing to really complain about ni nada así. Something very unexpected happened today though: I received my "trunky paper". Those are the papers that I fill out and send to the mission recepcionist so that she can make my farewell packet... I am so confused because I'm pretty sure that I still have about 3 months to go.... I only have three months to go. Oh, yeah, I leave Ecuador the 28th of January, and I need to know to where I should fly in, Denver or Colorado Springs? Also, what is Dad's email address? And...well, contact information for you parent folks in my immediate family would be very helpful. Thank you for your colaboration.

We had two confirmations this weekend! Woo!! Patricio Pullupaxi was confirmed and also received the Aaronic Priesthood (along with Diego Almache), and do you remember Paúl Piñan? That guy who got baptized around 6 weeks ago? Well, he got confirmed as well!! Wooo!! He entered the chapel just as we finished confirming Patricio, so it really was a miracle. I was so happy. I am so happy! Also, we had 4 other investigators in the sacrament meeting, which was very good as well. It was a rather noisy fast and testimony meeting, and I thought for a second to stand up and bear my testimony about reverence, but I refrained. Perhaps we'll talk to the bishop about the reverence issue.

My companion and I are currently fighting to remember how to write in English. Even though we speak in English all the time, we still have to fight to remember some words and especially how to spell many words. It's kinda funny. [I didn't edit any spelling for him at all this time - it really is getting bad. haha]

I was so excited to hear about Palmer Divide dividing (bu-dum, tsh!!) into two wards now! Woo!!! That's incredible! I can't believe how much the Church is growing in sleepy little Monument. Pretty soon it'll be its own stake! The Monument Stake! That'd be pretty amazing and incredible. I can't wait to see that day.

Well, I don't think I have too terribly much more to say. This has been a pretty tranquilo week, but that's also kind of a bad thing. The whole zone needs to step things up and get back into shape. We're kind of on "coast" mode right now, but that'll change this week. We'll find more families and help many more people come unto Christ. I love all of you so very much and am so very grateful for the support that you offer me in your letters and in your prayers. Have a wonderful week and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFFREY!!! WOOOO!! 19!!! I hope your birthday is ¡fantástico! I love you Mate!!

Love,

Elder Andrew Schomburg

P.S. Madre, no, there wasn't a letter for Robby in that letter packet, but I will be writing him here shortly. Also, I got a package from mi Abuelita, so thank you Grandma!! Hugs to all who can receive them, and handshakes to the rest!

So HAPPY!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!!!

Jeffrey's going on a mission!!!! Oh wow!! That is such wonderful and incredible news! That has just made my day (and probably my week)! I am so so so very happy for him. Madre asked for a picture of my face, but my computer doesn't read my memory, sorry. Just so you know though I was smiling from ear to ear and then promptly broke out crying. I am just completely filled with joy. I could not be any happier right now than to hear that Jeffrey will be serving in the Australia Adelaide Mission. That is just...amazing. Snap. There aren't words to describe how happy I am with Jeffrey's decision to serve. I don't know why it just hit me now that he's going to be serving as a full-time mission, but it did, and I am happier than I have been in a very long time. Wow. :D Australia. Whoa! Jeffrey, you're going to come back talking like Hugh Jackman or Russell Crowe! That's awesome! Good on ya mate!! (Oh, just a side-note. I met a returned missionary while in Institute who served in Australia, and one of the dishes that he had to eat was a duck fetus still in the egg. Prepare yourself well mate haha. [I'm going to be calling you, Jeffrey, Mate from here on out.])

And Elizabeth wants to serve a mission too!! How wonderful is that! I was very excited about the prospect of 19-year-old women being able to serve, and I think I did immediately think that Elizabeth would be going on her mission in a couple of years. That's just nuts to think about though. Yay serving missions!! It's the best two years for one's life.

Okay, let's see if I can move on to other topics.(Ahhhh that's so cool that Mate's going to be serving a mission in Australia!! Woooo!) General Conference was very wonderful, especially the Sunday morning session. I especially loved President Eyring's talk about how God never hides Himself in a pavilion, but rather we create our own pavilions from our own selfish desire with which we hide ourselves and prohibit ourselves from communicating with Heavenly Father. I loved that talk. There were also quite a few parts of talks, or entire talks, that had to do with my patriarchal blessing, which I found very amazing. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who cares about the one and will help any of His children at any given time if that child will just come closer to Him. Man. I love General Conference so much. And yet again my testimony has grown concerning modern-day prophets and apostles. Watching them, one just knows that they are indeed called of God to direct His Son's Church here on earth and to guide us newly back to our heavenly abode. It's just so amazing. Woo!!

Dang, I cannot get the news of Jeffrey's call out of my head. I'm trying to find the mission boundaries, but I'm not having much luck. Moar searching!!! after I finish this letter.

Yay for healthy houseplants! One of the things that has become a desire of mine is to have my own garden. I would love that so very much. It's going to be an awesome garden, too, with a bunch of tasty vegetables and fruits. Huzzah!!

So happy!!!

Well, I really don't have much more to say. I'm just so very very happy to hear that my brother, Mate, is now going on a mission. And in March! That's a wonderful time to go on a mission. I'm so very proud of you Jeffrey!

Well, I love you all very much and am so glad to hear that all is very well in the Schomburg residence. I hope that all within the reach of this letter do their absolute best to follow in the footsteps of Christ and also to give heed to the recently spoken words of His prophets and apostles. I know that following their counsel will lead to more happiness than can possibly be imagined. I love you, and have a wonderful, splendiferous week!

Love,
Elder Andrew Schomburg (gotta differentiate now :D)

General Conference - The World Cup of the Church

HELLO!!

It's a wonderful day today, and it's also been a wonderful week. This week we worked really hard and found a lot of people. We had high hopes for a big turn-out Sunday of new investigators, but alas! almost no one came. We still have faith that the majority of them are going to progress though, so we'll keep working our hardest to help them all come to church and progress in this pathway of faith.

Being with an American companion is so very wonderful. We get along very well and are really trying to get a lot done with the zone. Also, it's a lot easier to joke around and get to know someone who speaks your native language. It's pretty wonderful. I'm so grateful to be with Elder Tuckett. Also, he has a lot of desires to work as hard as he can, and he has a lot of good ideas to help the zone progress. I think it really helps that he's a new zone leader, and I'm very grateful to be with him.

To answer some questions from mi Madre: My luggage is Chaps brand and it's holding up fine, I would definitely recommend Dansko shoes (they're still holding up after all this time; the Hushpuppies aren't doing so well, as is manifest in the photo), and I think the CTR clothing brand is pretty good. Some of the pinstriping is gone from some of my pants, and I've had to get them sewn in a couple of spots, but it's normal wear and tear. Also, watches are very handy, but they should be durable and shock-proof; my watch took a shot and now the face moves around, so I can't really use it (not to mention the battery died, so now it's just a nice ornament). Two towels would be good. Also, you don't need to bring two years worth of sprays/lotions/etc, because one can buy that stuff almost anywhere I believe. Two years of contact lenses though would be most recommendable, plus glasses (just in case). Also, if he's going to a mission in which there can sometimes be a colder climate, a sweater would be wonderful (v-neck, dark in color, and long sleeve, not a sweater-vest). [Still no mission call for Jeffrey - for those of you who are holding your breath waiting. :)]

Twenty months of daily walking - ouch!

Just some advice and words of comfort for Jeffrey: Keep on keeping on! If your friends are asking you a whole bunch of questions trying to make you look less than intelligent or something, don't worry about it. Just keep studying the Scriptures, praying, attending Church meetings regularly, and doing everything possible to gain a strong testimony before your mission. Satan knows that this work is of the Lord and that this Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ, and because of that he will do anything and everything in his power to stop you from spreading the word. I think the words of Moses could help you in this case:

13 And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a ^ason of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy ^bglory, that I should worship thee?

19 And now, when Moses had said these words, ^aSatan cried with a loud voice, and ranted upon the earth, and commanded, saying: I am the ^bOnly Begotten, worship me.

20 And it came to pass that Moses began to ^afear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of ^bhell. Nevertheless, ^ccalling upon God, he received ^dstrength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of ^eglory.

21 And now Satan began to tremble, and the earth shook; and Moses received strength, and called upon God, saying: In the name of the Only Begotten, ^adepart hence, ^bSatan.

22 And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and ^agnashing of teeth; and he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses, that he beheld him not.

Even Moses received opposition from Satan, but you can do just as Moses did. You still have a work to do here on earth. You still have the Gospel to share, and you have power over Satan, no matter in what form in which he appears to you. Satan is trying to overpower you, but you can become even stronger with each trial that you conquer, so Satan is, in a sense, helping you to be stronger and trust in God more and more. Just keep on keeping on. Even when your friends try to belittle you, remember that you are a son of Heavenly Father. He will never leave you alone, and as long as you are worthy, the Holy Ghost will be with you to strengthen you. It's possible that your friends say such things because they are jealous of your confidence and that you are part of a Church in which you truly believe. Perhaps they still have a lot of questions that they haven't had answers and are trying to make you doubt your beliefs so that they can feel like their religion is just as good (or something like that). Just remember that this Church is the same that Christ established almost 2000 years ago. We have prophets and apostles who guide us towards Christ. This is the true Church. And if you need a further confirmation of that truth, just ask Heavenly Father if this is the true Church. He won't ever lie, and I testify that He answers prayers, because He answered and answers mine time and time again. You can do it Jeffrey! Keep on keeping on!

HEY!! GENERAL CONFERENCE THIS WEEK!!!!! WOOOOO!!!! Haha I've been telling all of our investigators that General Conference is like the World Cup of the Church (as in that's how excited I am for it). I am so very very excited for General Conference. We get to hear the voice of a Prophet of God and from Apostles of Christ. It will be just as important as when Moses revealed the Mosaic Law to the people of Israel. It will be as if Paul or Peter were talking directly to us right now. It's incredible. I would invite all who read this to watch General Conference  this Saturday and Sunday at 9 am and 1 pm MST (...I think. Madre, you should correct those times if they're not correct.) [The times for General Conference are 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. MST on Saturday and Sunday.  Click on the highlighted General Conference link to watch.] There's also a special Priesthood session for men Saturday night at 5 pm, so there are 5 sessions in all.  [The Priesthood session is at 6:00 p.m. MST on Saturday evening.]  They will be incredible, and everyone can learn something that will bless him in his life, especially if he watches all of the sessions. I'm so very very excited. Don't miss out on this opportunity to listen to modern day prophets and apostles!

Also, if you don't believe that there can be prophets and apostles today, reflect on these two scriptures: Amos 3:7 and Hebrews 13:8, which say, respectively, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, ^abut he ^brevealeth his^csecret unto his servants the ^dprophets" and "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for ever." The Lord has called prophets since Adam, and in order to continue being the same, He must call prophets today. Otherwise He would cease to be the Lord, which is impossible. If you still don't believe, watch General Conference, and then ask Heavenly Father in a sincere prayer if He has called prophets and apostles in these days. Then, pay attention to your feelings, for the Spirit works through our feelings mostly (see Galatians 5:22-3). I testify that there are modern-day prophets and apostles who fulfill the same role as that to which they were called in days of old, and that they truly guide us to Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer.

Well, I think that's all that I have for this day. I love you all and thank you for the prayers which you send my way. I pray for you as well and hope that this letter finds all happy, healthy, and in good spirits. Also, don't forget that, while I do return home in short order, I do still love to receive pouch, and especially packages, if at all possible. I love you! Have a wonderful and spiritual week!

Love,

Elder Schomburg